Firing attachment for ordnance.



7 PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903. G-GERD OM. FIRING ATTACHMENT FOR ORDNANCE.

APPLICATION FILED AI RL 26 1902.

N0 MODEL.

Ail;

Patented June 16, 1903.

FFICE.

ATENT GREGORY GERDOM, O WATERVLIET, NEw YORK, ASSIGNOR on TWO- FIFTHS TOJOHN H. REYNOLDS, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

FlRiNG ATTACHMENT FOR ORDNANCEI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,403, dated June 16,1903.

Applicatiop filed April 26, 1902.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, GREGORY GERDOM, of Watervliet, county of Albany,State of New York, have invented a new and useful Firing Attachment forOrdnance, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in breech mechanism for ordnance,its object being to provide an improved firingattachrnent therefor; andit consists in the features of construction hereinafter described andclaimed. In the Ordinary construction of attachments of this characterthelanyard-strap is attached directly to the scar, and consequently iscarried to and fro by the recoil and counter-recoil of the gun. In longrecoil-guns such travel of the piece is from forty to fifty inches inextent, and hence it is practically impossible for the gunner to retainhis hold upon the strap, but he is compelled to grasp for it after eachfiring. His attention is thus diverted from the performance of otherduties, and the delay in securing hold of the strap for the purpose offiring materially lessens the rapided on the gum-and the other, to whichthe lanyard-strap is attached, being mounted upon the gun-cradle. As thegun recoils after firing the two parts become separated or disengaged,but again engage as the gun returns to battery. This constructionpermits No. 2 of the gun crew to retain the lanyard: strap in his graspat all times and enables him to instantly fire the piece when orderedwithout delay or distraction of his attention from his duty in theendeavor to seize the strap. Asarecoil-springof sufficient strength toreturn the gun fully to battery when ele vated at a considerable anglewould have such excess of power as to jar or throw the piece out ofposition when in horizontal or depressed'position, I construct myattachment so as to dispense with the necessity of employing arecoil-spring of such maximum power by bringing the partsinto engagementbefore the gun is returned fully to battery, but when it is in a.porition of safetyfor firing.

Serial No. 104,764. (No model.)

In the drawings forming part of thisspecificatiou, Figure 1 isa rearelevation ofa piece of ordnance shown equipped with my improvement. Fig.2 is a partial side elevation of the same, and Figs. 3 and 4 aresectional details.

In the drawings, 2 represents the gun, 3 its cradle, and 4 thebreech-block carrier, supported by the hinge 5 on the gun-breech.

6 is a bracket to receive the recoil-spring cylinder 7.

8is a bracket upon the gun-breech for carrying the lanyardconnection-rod 0. Upon the outer end or head of this rod is thelanyard-catch 10, the point 11 of which engages a notch in the sear 12to reciprocate the same for operating the firing-pin. The rod 9 issecured in the bracket 8 by means of a clampcollar 13, gripped thereonby means of the screw 14.. The rod .9 is made angular in crosssection tofit to a female or socket part 15, mounted inthe bracket 16 upon thecradle 3. This socket part 15 has a depending arm 16, to which alanyard-strap is connected, as by a loop 17. The arm 16 is held innormal position, so that through its connections the firing-pin is outof contact with the cartridgeprimer, bysuitable means, such as thespring 18, having bearing contact on the adjacent cylindrical surface ofthe recoil-cylinder. A pin '19 in the part15 engages a limited slot 20in the bracket 16 to determine the arc of movement of the part 15.

The length of the angular portion of the connection-rod corresponds tothe predetermined. distance at which the gun may be out of battery whilein position of safety for firing.

The operation of the attachment is readily understood from the drawingand description. The gun being in batteryand having received its load, apull upon the lanyard-strap rocks the part 15, thereby rotating with itthe connection-rod, which in turn by its connections against the tensionof its spring reciprocates the sear and actuates the firing-pin. As the.gun recoils under the impulse of theshock 'to within the safety limitof battery. At this point the connection-rod again engages the part 15,and again the gun may be fired by a pull upon'the lanyard-strap.

I claim- 1. A two-part lanyard attachment for-recoil-guns, one mountedupon the gun and connected with the firing-pin and the other mountedupon the gun-cradle; one having an extended angular rod adapted toengage with a socket in the other part in the counter recoil movement ofthe gun, substantially as set forth.

' 2. The-combination with the gun, its cradle,

the gun,'and to be operatively connected during a predetermined part ofthe travel of the gun when returning to, and .while in, battery.

4. A lanyard attachment for recoil-guns,

comprising two elements connected respectively to the gun and itscradle, adapted to be partially rotated around an axis parallel with theaxis of the gun and to operatively engage only within the safety limitdetermined by the recoil-cylinder.

5. A lanyard attachment for recoil-guns,

- com-prising male and female parts rotatably mounted respectively uponor carried by the gun and its cradle or other relatively fixed part.

Signed at New York city this 22d day of April, 1902.

GREGORY GERD OM.

Witnesses:

T. D. MERWIN, CROWLEY VVENTWORTH.

